


The Pitfalls of Romance as a Genre

by yourlibrarian



Category: Fandom - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Meta, Romance, Writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 15:22:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6860605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One piece of outrage for some people discussing the use of the Haiti tragedy's aftermath as a story setting (by more than one author, no less), was that these stories were romances.  At the same time, I was reading a post titled, rather unfortunately, "Romance means never having to doubt your choices".</p><p>I think an element that is heavily in play in fanfic fandom is the idea that enjoying something means turning off your brain and ceasing to have any critical thought about what you're reading/viewing/playing. In contrast, you have events such as the "fic warnings" debate that indicates that there's only so much "turning off" that anyone can do before your own sacred cow is gored. The residue of that debate leaped out at me when I read this phrase:</p><p>"I totally agree with the idea that each novel in the romance genre represents a safe space for readers to enjoy without apprehension."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pitfalls of Romance as a Genre

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted June 19, 2010

At this point I think plenty of people are aware of, or are discussing, the latest cases of inappropriate fanfic writing choices. Unfortunately, these cases tend to pop up regularly and the most regrettable thing about it is how often the problems with them _aren't_ discussed. Clearly, if there was more unavoidable discussion going on, there would be less such fic written, or the way in which these fics would address their problematic choices would be better.

One piece of outrage for some people discussing the use of the Haiti tragedy's aftermath as a story setting (by more than one author, no less), was that these stories were romances. At the same time, I was reading a post at Smart Bitches titled, rather unfortunately, [Romance means never having to doubt your choices](http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/romance-means-never-having-to-doubt-your-choices/).

I think an element that is heavily in play in fanfic fandom is the idea that enjoying something means turning off your brain and ceasing to have any critical thought about what you're reading/viewing/playing. In contrast, you have events such as the "fic warnings" debate that indicates that there's only so much "turning off" that anyone can do before your own sacred cow is gored. The residue of that debate leaped out at me when I read this phrase:

"I totally agree with the idea that each novel in the romance genre represents a safe space for readers to enjoy without apprehension."

I don't understand, frankly, the idea that _any_ genre could possibly offer that understanding. In the case above, the poster meant that a happy ending was assured. Well, even in that limited frame I can say that I have read stories where the author seemed to believe she was delivering that sort of ending, and I saw it as anything but. In most cases, I can tell from the beginning of the story what the author might consider a "happy ending" and have such a problem with that sort of framing that I couldn't read the story. In others, it's sometimes an unpleasant twist to find either a tacked on happy ending (which doesn't deliver any kind of satisfaction, since it seems no more sincere than a cashier wishing you a nice day) or an ending that undermines something you had appreciated in the story up until that point.

Nevertheless, the Smart Bitches post makes a great point about the romance genre in that most of the stories revolve around the removal of responsibility. This occurs in two ways (1) The responsibility for a decision that will make the heroine happy, but other people unhappy, is removed from her by outside forces, and (2) The choices made are the best possible choices, because in the long run everything will work out for the best.

In short, the primary fantasy in these stories is not simply a man who does not exist (at least not without going outside the lines with which he has been drawn), but a world without repercussions for the exercise of personal desire. The balance that most women recognize as existing in real life –- that one cannot have something one wants without also having to deal with the downside of that thing –- is removed. 

There's another factor not mentioned in that post which is central to the romance, and that is the marginalization of everything and everyone else that is not facilitating the final union of the couple in question. Unless the story happens to be one where more than one couple is being brought together (in more than a passing "tidying up" way), people exist in the story to aid or block the couple from the reader's goal (if not the characters', who may be reluctant, sometimes even for very good reasons) of uniting them. This only encourages a writer to think of such characters as pieces on a chessboard instead of people with their own motivations, and indeed their own lives, where their priority is likely not whether the hero and heroine get some. So one can see how this might lead to seeing people with real tragedies in their lives as nothing more than extras in scenes.

A third issue comes from the "Being Understood" trope that is discussed in the comments of that post. The idea of being seen, accepted, and understood by someone who is both desirable and attainable is certainly a powerful fantasy. However, it's a whole lot less of a fantasy if the story in question makes it abundantly clear that the story is being told from the POV of someone who does not in the least see, accept, and understand _the reader_. Take, for example, this comment:

"I began reading romance in order to relearn my belief in love and decent people and the real possibility of happiness. Romance tells me that people can be trusted."

In that case, the worst abuse of trust is likely the one you didn't see coming rather than the one you half expected. 

Not having ever written any romance fic, I can't know what goes through the minds of authors as they're writing it. But I can't help thinking that the whole issue of removed responsibility and the sacrifice of most characters for the good of the OTP becomes part of the mindset in the creation process. Thus, the outrage over the frivolity of a genre that would exploit an ongoing humanitarian crisis for entertainment seems to me to overlook that there are elements of the genre that _predispose it_ to being utilized in such circumstances. It also seems likely that this is even more true of the readers' propensity to question the seriousness of what they're reading. For example, the majority of the responses to the Smart Bitches post focused on the escapist pleasure of the genre, where people were not only willingly turning their minds off, but read the stories primarily for the purpose of doing so. 

The problem is that all of us exist in the real world, and responsibility can't be abandoned. If someone refuses to carry it, either someone else must pick it up, or everyone will end up suffering the consequences, including the person refusing to shoulder it.


End file.
